High Hall Residential Home was built as a workhouse in 1809 and
could accommodate up to sixty inmates.

The building largely erected with local labour cost £1, 473.

John Lightfoot Apothecary from Askrigg was involved in the plans to
form a Union Society Workhouse at Bainbridge. Unfortunately
John died before his plans were completed.

1812 The Gilbert Act

The Bainbridge Gilbert Union was formed and the workhouse was then
called the Bainbridge Incorporation Workhouse.

The Workhouse gave shelter, relief and employment to the poor of Bainbridge, Askrigg, Hawes, Aysgarth, Low Abbotside, Thoralby and Burton-Cum-Walden. Under the Gilbert Act the Gilbert Union was formed and the workhouse was called the Bainbridge Incorporation Workhouse.

1813

Grinton and High Abbotside joined the Incorporation workhouse.

In 1824 Carperby became part of the Incorporation.

The workhouse remained a Gilbert Union until 1869 when the
remaining Gilbert Unions were abolished.

Bainbridge Union Workhouse coloured red in 1856

This is a map of Bainbridge showing the location of the workhouse in 1856.
Note the difference in size and shape to the later workhouse plan. 1910
Note also another pub is located over the bridge called The White Lion Inn.

Aysgarth Union Workhouse coloured red in 1910

1817

November. The guardians unanimously decided that they would no
longer be responsible for payments to the casual poor.

Each parish would be directly responsible for the relief of their
own casual poor.

1847

A Medical Officer of Health was appointed for the workhouse.

1862

In 1862 it became the law that all pauper children should be
educated.

1869

In 1869 the Gilbert Union was abolished and the Aysgarth Poor Law
Union took over the workhouse and it became the Aysgarth Union
Workhouse.

The Aysgarth Union was managed by a Board of Guardians made up of
16 local people from the 12 parishes served by the workhouse.

1890

Dr Thomas Grime 1890
Thomas Jackson Grime MD and surgeon was the medical officer from Hawes district for the Aysgarth Union Workhouse. He lived at the Holme, Hawes.

1930

1939

In March the workhouse closed for approximately 9 months and the residents were transferred to Leyburn workhouse. The workhouse reopened at the beginning of the war.

1948

National Health Service Act

Now pauperism had been abolished and medical treatment was free a
Medical Officer for Health was no longer needed.

Dr. Pickles and Dr. Coltman continued to look after patients in the
Public Assistance Institution that became a Welfare Home after
1948.

Note

Since 1948 the sick have been sent to hospital, casuals are no longer admitted, and the number of beds has been reduced from 44 to twenty beds for men and to sixteen beds for the women. It is no longer called the workhouse, institute or as the locals called it “the Spike”, but High Hall County Home for the Aged. The master is the superintendent and the mistress the matron.

In 1952 the interior had a complete overhaul; the equipment was modernised, and the rooms were decorated with flowery wallpaper. Fires are lit in the bedrooms, all the food is cooked on the premises, radios may be switched on, and the atmosphere is one of warmth, comfort and kindness.

On arrival the old people, if necessary receive a complete outfit of clothes. They go out when and where they please, if they wish to work they are paid, and they all enjoy an annual holiday for which, if they cannot pay, about £5 per head is raised by whist drives and other fundraising.

1966

The National Assistance Board becomes the Supplementary Benefits
Commission.

County Welfare Officer is a Mr. Harrison.

High Hall Old Peoples Home before 1966
This photograph was taken before 1966. Does anyone remember when the alterations were done?
The alterations were done in 1958/59 by a firm called Jacques, I believe of Spennithorne.(Thanks Paul)

The building has been extended (right of photograph) to make new living quarters for senior staff.
The front wall has been lowered and all the buildings that were directly behind the wall have been demolished. The two main buildings have now been joined together with a further extension.

The top floor extension was where the matron lived. The ground floor accommodation was for the assistant Matron.

The Coroner held a temporary coroners’ court in the building if there were any accidental or unusual deaths.

It was held in the now sitting room next door to the office.

The Aysgarth Parish Council meetings were also held in that room at a charge of 3/6 per month.

If you went through that sitting room you were in the assistant matrons’ quarters.
The Matrons’ quarters were directly above on the first floor.

Part of the long low building at the front of the picture is the chapel of rest.